First-person and third-person are the most used narrative viewpoints. These narrative viewpoints help the writer describe characters more detailed. It also can help show thoughts of certain characters in a story while hiding the thoughts of others.
I would use a first person narrative in the case where I want the reader to look through the eyes of this single character. I would also use it when I want to describe only one character. The world is seen through his eyes and the thoughts would be of his own. Therefore, there might be some biasness in the thoughts when using first person narratives. You can also directly feel the feelings of the single character, which allows you to feel everything it feels, the pain, happiness, etc. This way, the reader will feel closer with the character and thus feel closer to the story itself. However, the story plot will be confined as the situation can only be seen from one person. Also, some expressions would turn out weird as the narrator cannot see and feel everything.
In a third person narrative, the reader is like god, seeing everything, every detail, every thought and hearing all the dialogue. This allows the reader to understand the situation from multiple perspectives thus creating a non-bias situation. Using third person narrative will remove some limitations such as description of the setting, characters’ looks and expressions. Also, using third person will allow the reader to be able to have more feelings to each character, knowing which the good is and bad, which should triumph over which, which makes it more dramatic. This perspective helps to develop the essay more than first person so it is more helpful in a descriptive essay.
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Regarding your point on the narrator being biased, do you think that the writer had craft it so that the biasness was intentional?
ReplyDeleteI am sure writers will not use a point of view without their reasons. I feel that first-person narrative is special because it allows self-conflict. By allowing the readers to read the thoughts of the narrator, it shows the mix in feelings in the main protagonist of the story. I feel that third-person narrative is special and useful because it creates a link between the different elements (plot, setting, characters). It also allows descriptive language which add colours to the story. Therefore, I feel that both perspectives are useful when applied in the correct situation.
I dont really agree that 3rd person perspective would cause a non-bias situation as the narrator has its own right to tweak the story such that the reader would feel closer to a certain character and like them compared to the other characters. This is done particularly well in an example, "Harry Potter". Harry and his three friends were made to be likeable EVEN if they were doing the wrong thing by "law"
ReplyDeleteDavid, what do you mean by the expressions would turn out weird? Does it means that the narrator can only see others' expressions and actions and not able to see his own action?
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, I feel that you are quite right about the first and third person narrative. Basically, a first-person narrative focus on the descriptions of other characters in the story or emphasis on the character's own emotions and thoughts. This thoughts might have an irony in the story as they are only from his point of view which may not be right.
As for third person narrative, the narrator would be like "god". Or in other words, he is just a silent bystander which watches the whole scene and describing the setting and characters without actually contributing to the plot.
I agree with most of the points regarding the first person narrative, however the last sentence is a little weird that you mentioned that the expressions would be confined and the narrator is unable to feel and see everything. But what does this 'everything' mean? I think by that you mean that the narrator cannot know and feel the other characters. Other than that, opinions of people maybe affected by the main character's thoughts.
ReplyDeleteThe description about the third person narrative is also quite well informed. Basically, the narrator would not be in the plot at all, just a observer looking at every points of view.